Metagenome analyses of microbial population in geotextile fabrics used in permeable reactor barriers for toluene biodegradation

Toluene is one of the hydrocarbons that contaminate soil and groundwater, and has a high cost to remediate, which makes it an environmental pollutant of concern. This study aimed to find bacterial distribution from nonwoven geotextile (GT) fabric specimens in a pilot-scale permeable reactive barrier (PRB). Upon 167 days of incubation with the addition of toluene, the microbial community on the GT surfaces (n = 12) was investigated by the 16S rRNA metagenome sequencing approach. According to taxonomic classification, the Proteobacteria phylum dominated the metagenomes of all the geotextile samples (80–90%). Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) Pathway database search of the toluene degradation mechanism revealed the susceptible toluene-degrading species. For the toluene-to-benzoate degradation, the Cupriavidus genus, particularly C. gilardii, C. metallidurans, and C. taiwanensis, are likely to be functional. In addition to these species, the Novosphingobium genus was abundantly localized in the GTs, in particular Novosphingobium sp. ABRDHK2. The results suggested the biodegradation potential of these species in toluene remediation. Overall, this work sheds light on the variety of microorganisms found in the geotextile fabrics used in PRBs and the species involved in the biodegradation of toluene from several sources, including soil, sediment, and groundwater.